MaxDrive USB flash drive for the PS2 and Xbox - WooHoo!

Galley · Post by **Galley** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 1:28 am

I picked up the MaxDrive USB flash drive made by Datel this evening. It's looks like your typical USB flash drive, but this one is designed to work with the PS2 (There is also a version for the Xbox). The 16MB MaxDrive allows you to back up both of your memory cards, and then transfer them to your hard drive. You can also download files from the web and then transfer them to the PS2. Not only that, but you can even browse for codes on the web, using the PS2 (broadband only). It even has support for storing your saves online. You can upload them to categorized folders. The PS2 software supports USB keyboards.
The interface on the PS2 is outstanding. I only wish PC interfaces looked so good and were as easy to use! Unlike the standard PS2 file manager, this one allows you to select multiple files. There is also a compression feature, but I haven't used that.
The PC software is OK. It creates a folder in C:\ called "Saves". That is the only PC location that shows up, and as far as I can tell, there is no way to use a different folder. You can, however drag and drop saves onto Windows Explorer. There is also no way to select more than one file in the PC software. The right-side pane of the software allows you to connect to the Code Junkies site and browse for saves. These can be dragged and dropped onto the MaxDrive, which appears as a removable drive in Windows.
The construction of the drive itself seems OK, and the design is pretty good. The MaxDrive is a bargain for $29.99 for the 16MB version. They also offer 32MB and 64MB versions as well. I personally just upgraded to the latest 50001-series PS2, and was disappointed to find out that it did not support the SharkPort. Well, the MaxDrive is an even better backup and restore solution for the PlayStation 2.

http://us.codejunkies.com/news_reviews. ... i=7122&s=8

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 9:57 am

So is the thing pretty reliable?

I wish like other USB memory keys, it would just mount on the desktop without need for installing special software.

But it sounds like saves have to be formatted in a specific format for this.

Still, it looks like it's getting good support. Geekrosters will have blacklover's rosters in that format as well as the Sharkport/Xport format.

Galley · Post by **Galley** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 9:59 am

wco81 wrote:So is the thing pretty reliable?

I wish like other USB memory keys, it would just mount on the desktop without need for installing special software.

But it sounds like saves have to be formatted in a specific format for this.

Still, it looks like it's getting good support. Geekrosters will have blacklover's rosters in that format as well as the Sharkport/Xport format.

Well, I only got the thing last night, but it seems well built. It does not need drivers in WinXP.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:31 am

My flashdrive for my Xbox (hopefully ps2 soon as well) is the 120 gb hard drive I installed. The software is any pc ftp program.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:49 am

Are you getting HD Loader Parker?

You can't get rosters with the hard disk though or I would get it.

I think in Japan, when you get the PS2 HDD, it comes with utility for downloading files from online. Or there may be an email client which is just as good if you can get game saves as email attachments.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 11:02 am

I almost did, but decided to wait for a better solution. I don't think it will be long though. There already is a program you can run on your pc that can transfer files to a ps2 hard drive.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 2:34 pm

Parker wrote:My flashdrive for my Xbox (hopefully ps2 soon as well) is the 120 gb hard drive I installed. The software is any pc ftp program.

You're my idol...can you tell us again how you 'beat the system' double o 7.

ILikePie · Post by **ILikePie** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 3:17 pm

Has anyone seen the Xbox Max Drive at any retail stores? The only place I can find it is online. I would like to buy it locally.

Kazuya · Post by **Kazuya** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 4:01 pm

wco81 wrote:Geekrosters will have blacklover's rosters in that format as well as the Sharkport/Xport format.

Geekrosters? BWAHAHAHAHA... what an appropriate name.

Parker · Post by **Parker** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 5:05 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:
Parker wrote:My flashdrive for my Xbox (hopefully ps2 soon as well) is the 120 gb hard drive I installed. The software is any pc ftp program.
You're my idol...can you tell us again how you 'beat the system' double o 7.

It was so simple a moron could do it.

As soon as someone meeting that minimum requirement asks me, I'll be glad to explain how.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 8:28 pm

I went ahead and picked one up. It consists of a USB flash memory key and a PS2 disc and a Windows XP disc. These were 3.5-inch discs. Maybe to thwart piracy? Because as far as I can tell, the core of this product is in the PS2 software. You don't even need the Win XP disc.

In fact, I just plugged it into my PowerBook and it mounted on the desktop like any other flash memory key. I downloaded the roster and dragged and dropped it on the key.

Files come in .max format, which is probably the only format this Max Drive PS2 software will recognize. Without the software, you can't make sense of the files and you can't exchange files between the PS2 memory card and the flash memory key. Software will also compress save files to save space but PS2 games obviously can only read uncompressed saves.

So if you can copy this 3.5-inch disc and get the PS2 to boot it, you might have been able to use all the features with any USB memory key, instead of their overpriced 16 MB memory key for $30. Of course, a lot of that cost goes to the software, which is where the IP is.

One surprising thing is that the software will connect to their site and let you browse their collection of game saves. I wasn't sure if they were really connecting online but I saw saves from Spiderman2.

They also have some account registration but not sure what that's about. I connected online without creating any accounts. So you don't even need a computer if you have a Network Adapter. But you probably can't get rosters from just anywhere. Now if they had a simple email client in there...

I downloaded an NCAA roster and played online with names, which was nice. Announcer called out names. Played Michigan against some guy playing Notre Dame. This roster had Ryan Grant at the top of the depth chart ahead of Julius Jones?